Hugh Pembroke Vowles
Encyclopedia
Hugh Pembroke Vowles was a British
engineer
, socialist and author
.
Hugh Vowles was the son of Henry Hayes Vowles
, a Wesleyan
minister
, author, and theologian; and of Hannah Elizabeth Thistle. Although he published under the name Hugh Pembroke Vowles, early records refer to him as William Hugh Pembroke Vowles.
He married twice. First to Margaret Winifred Pearce of the Pearce family of Priday, Metford and Company Limited
. After her death, he married Eleanor Biss.
He was educated at Elizabeth College, Guernsey
and at the Technical School, Gloucester
, where he served an apprenticeship and passed through the shops and drawing office of W. Sisson Ltd, power plant engineers from 1901 to 1906. After gaining experience as a junior draughtsman with G Waller and Son Ltd of Stroud
, Gloucester, he was employed from 1909 to 1913 as a contract engineer with Messrs Williams and Rugby Robinson. This was followed by a brief connexion with the Gas Light and Coke Company
as senior assistant engineer. During the First World War, he first acted as assistant district manager to the Metropolitan Munitions Committee and later as assistant Manager at the Ailsa National Shell Factory, London.
According to a letter written by his daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Vowles, in 1995: during the First World War, Hugh Vowles "volunteered for military service and was turned down on medical grounds... and had the horrid experience of having a very young and smart ... woman, one of a self-set up group who went about the West End, London
, stopping young men in the street and asking in very contemptuous tones: Why aren't you in uniform, for your country? They were notorious and obnoxious and caused, as it did to (him) a lot of hurt".
In 1918, he became associated with Cox and Company Ltd, bankers of London
as technical advisor and factory manager. In April 1921, he was resident at Redcliff, Caswell Bay
, Glamorganshire and was described as "General Manager and Chief Engineer to a large industrial concern" In 1922, he went to join W.H. Allen, Sons & Co Ltd mechanical and electrical engineers, for which firm he was engaged as district manager and engineer until 1929, when he went into practice on his own account as a consulting engineer.
on the origin of the Windmill
. On September 29, 1931, he addressed the British Association for the Advancement of Science
on the "Early Evolution of Power Engineering".
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During the 1939-45 war, he was editor of technical literature for the British Council
, London. Travelling to London on Monday mornings after spending the weekend at home at the Leaze, Oxlynch.
He was a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
, of the Newcomen Society
, the Society of Authors
and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
.
He was a self-declared communist and had a keen interest in the Soviet Union
, in particular the Ukraine
. Because of his fondness for the Soviet Union
he was known to his family as "popski". Similarly, he owned a cat called Pushkin.
He retired in 1929 to devote himself to his writings. He continued to write articles for technical journals and newspapers. He was a frequent contributor to The Citizen
of Gloucester
.
Francis Vowles went on to become a partner in Vowles, Jessop and Keen of Lorraine House, 45 Park Road, Gloucester, the house in which his Pearce grandparents had lived. He was Clerk to County Justices (Gloucester division). FH Vowles married Elizabeth Langhorne
BA (1911-1999) and was a member of the Royal Air Force Association (Gloucester branch). As well as a full time solicitor, he was also honorary legal adviser to the Gloucester Association of parish and town councils from 1936 to 1976.
In 1935, HP Vowles met Eleanor Biss, who became his second wife. They had no children. She later lived in Stonehouse in a cottage named "Elscot".
In "post-war conditions of politics and trade... trade ... must find a vent in export for the huge increase of capacity in the productive
machinery of this and other countries, leading to fiercer and fiercer competition for foreign markets and for 'control' of the raw material producing regions - particularly coal and oil areas - and so to another
large scale war beside which the last will pale into insignificance, a war possibly with America, as part of the price I have to pay for the goods I buy under the present system. Many other items I have also entered up which do not commonly figure in a manufacturer's cost accounts, although they must inevitably be paid for all the same-neglect of science, neglect of health, neglect indeed of all that might to-day make life fair and gracious, simply because industry is run from the point of view of 'frenzied finance' and not for the
service of mankind. . . . ." The Price We Pay
He felt that in the 1920s political change was around the corner, in particular to the left: "Nevertheless, in spite of all my doubts there are times when I am upon the whole more hopeful of the world ridding itself of its innumerable burdens; when I see signs of more and yet more fires being kindled in the minds of men; smouldering as yet, but soon it may be to blaze up and spread the knowledge that
a time of great change is at hand."
He recognised the danger posed by Hitler to Eastern Europe at the end of the 1930s. In "Ukraine and its People" (1939), he wrote "There is good reason to believe that Herr Hitler proposes to make use of (Ukrainian minority movements) to serve his own ambitions. The nature of these ambitions, which include the annexation of Soviet Ukraine, is indicated in Mein Kampf
".
It is interesting that whilst being a Communist, Hugh Vowles' first wife was a shareholder in her family's milling company in Gloucester
, England. The company, Priday, Metford and Company Limited
, was, however, family-owned for five generations and renowned for retaining many staff members for over fifty years.
In a brief account of his life left in about 1990 by his daughter in law Elizabeth Langhorne, she states: "HPV was an engineer, socialist and journalist. He also moved to Gloucester and worked as a left wing journalist trying to promote peaceful relations with the Soviet Union. Conservatives still run when they see a Vowles in their territory".
His religious ideas are particularly interesting given that he was the son of a Wesleyan Minister and became a communist in an era when socialism
was popular amongst western intellectuals.
He discussed Christianity
in the context of socialism in his article entitled "Tradition in the Great State" in the book Socialism and the Great State edited by H.G. Wells and published in 1912. This book outlined how a state run along ideal socialist lines would be like. He stated the following: "Many of the needs of men are long-lived, and it is an open question whether most if not all of our present-day traditions will not go on to a fuller and completer influence in the lives of the citizens of the Great State. That large body of tradition we speak of as Christianity, for example, may conceivably serve as the basis of the moral tradition in the Great State. This matter is, I believe, to be discussed more fully in another paper in this book, but the present writer now ventures to offer a few remarks that seem to fall within his scope. In many ways he admits Christian tradition has been a beneficial factor in our evolution. Its teaching of love and concord is of the very essence of the Great State. Whatever broadens the basis of sympathy and mutual understanding is a force operating in the constructive direction, and so it would seem probable that Christianity will at least survive in its spirit and intermingle with the more elaborate traditions of the future. In no case can a tradition disappear without leaving behind it some effect or influence. But this is far from asserting that there need be or will be a definite survival of Christianity as such. Contemporary Christianity must purge itself from a multitude of defects before it can possibly be acceptable to the clear-headed men who will be the normal citizens of the Great State. A mere spirit of co-operation alone can never be all sufficing for the religious basis of tradition. The Great State will be complex beyond all precedent and that he may cope successfully with these complexities the average citizen must be trained to think clearly and exhaustively, and be given a wealth of tradition for his guidance multifarious beyond any the world has yet produced. Christianity as we know it at present makes no insistence upon understanding and mental alertness as duties, nor upon the supreme necessity of thoroughness in thought and work. It is not a critical religion; it is emotionally sound, perhaps, but critically careless, and the vital preservative of right in a complex situation is a critical faculty highly stimulated and fed." It is not known if his perspective on religion changed later in his life.
.
He was a close friend of Hubert Cecil Booth
, inventor of the vacuum cleaner
. Booth married Margaret Vowles' sister.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
engineer
Engineer
An engineer is a professional practitioner of engineering, concerned with applying scientific knowledge, mathematics and ingenuity to develop solutions for technical problems. Engineers design materials, structures, machines and systems while considering the limitations imposed by practicality,...
, socialist and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
.
Early life and education
Henry Hayes Vowles
Henry Hayes Vowles was an author, theologian and a Wesleyan Minister...
, a Wesleyan
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
minister
Minister of religion
In Christian churches, a minister is someone who is authorized by a church or religious organization to perform functions such as teaching of beliefs; leading services such as weddings, baptisms or funerals; or otherwise providing spiritual guidance to the community...
, author, and theologian; and of Hannah Elizabeth Thistle. Although he published under the name Hugh Pembroke Vowles, early records refer to him as William Hugh Pembroke Vowles.
He married twice. First to Margaret Winifred Pearce of the Pearce family of Priday, Metford and Company Limited
Priday, Metford and Company Limited
Priday, Metford and Company Limited was a family-run company that produced flour at the City Flour Mills, Gloucester, England for over a century. They were closed down in 1994 and the premises converted to luxury apartments under the name of "Priday's Mill". The City Flour Mills were the location...
. After her death, he married Eleanor Biss.
He was educated at Elizabeth College, Guernsey
Elizabeth College, Guernsey
Elizabeth College is an independent school in the town of St Peter Port, Guernsey, founded in 1563 under the orders of Queen Elizabeth I.- History :...
and at the Technical School, Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, where he served an apprenticeship and passed through the shops and drawing office of W. Sisson Ltd, power plant engineers from 1901 to 1906. After gaining experience as a junior draughtsman with G Waller and Son Ltd of Stroud
Stroud, Gloucestershire
Stroud is a market town and civil parish in the county of Gloucestershire, England. It is the main town in Stroud District.Situated below the western escarpment of the Cotswold Hills at the meeting point of the Five Valleys, the town is noted for its steep streets and cafe culture...
, Gloucester, he was employed from 1909 to 1913 as a contract engineer with Messrs Williams and Rugby Robinson. This was followed by a brief connexion with the Gas Light and Coke Company
Gas Light and Coke Company
The Gas Light and Coke Company , was a company that made and supplied coal gas and coke. The Company was located on Horseferry Road in Westminster, London...
as senior assistant engineer. During the First World War, he first acted as assistant district manager to the Metropolitan Munitions Committee and later as assistant Manager at the Ailsa National Shell Factory, London.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, stopping young men in the street and asking in very contemptuous tones: Why aren't you in uniform, for your country? They were notorious and obnoxious and caused, as it did to (him) a lot of hurt".
In 1918, he became associated with Cox and Company Ltd, bankers of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
as technical advisor and factory manager. In April 1921, he was resident at Redcliff, Caswell Bay
Caswell Bay
Caswell Bay is a popular UK holiday resort in the south east of the Gower Peninsula, Swansea, Wales.Access to the beach is relatively easy and inland from the sandy beach is a recreational park. Caswell is ideal for surfing, holidays in the nearby Hotels and Chalet Park. The beach regularly...
, Glamorganshire and was described as "General Manager and Chief Engineer to a large industrial concern" In 1922, he went to join W.H. Allen, Sons & Co Ltd mechanical and electrical engineers, for which firm he was engaged as district manager and engineer until 1929, when he went into practice on his own account as a consulting engineer.
Presentations to Learned Societies
In 1930, he addressed the Newcomen SocietyNewcomen Society
The Newcomen Society is a British learned society formed to foster the study of the history of engineering and technology. It was founded in London in 1920 and takes its name from Thomas Newcomen, one of the inventors associated with the early development of the steam engine, who is widely...
on the origin of the Windmill
Windmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
. On September 29, 1931, he addressed the British Association for the Advancement of Science
British Association for the Advancement of Science
frame|right|"The BA" logoThe British Association for the Advancement of Science or the British Science Association, formerly known as the BA, is a learned society with the object of promoting science, directing general attention to scientific matters, and facilitating interaction between...
on the "Early Evolution of Power Engineering".
Later life
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
, London. Travelling to London on Monday mornings after spending the weekend at home at the Leaze, Oxlynch.
He was a member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers
Institution of Mechanical Engineers
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers is the British engineering society based in central London, representing mechanical engineering. It is licensed by the Engineering Council UK to assess candidates for inclusion on ECUK's Register of professional Engineers...
, of the Newcomen Society
Newcomen Society
The Newcomen Society is a British learned society formed to foster the study of the history of engineering and technology. It was founded in London in 1920 and takes its name from Thomas Newcomen, one of the inventors associated with the early development of the steam engine, who is widely...
, the Society of Authors
Society of Authors
The Society of Authors is a trade union for professional writers that was founded in 1884 to protect the rights of writers and fight to retain those rights .It has counted amongst its members and presidents numerous notable writers and poets including Tennyson The Society of Authors (UK) is a...
and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers is a professional body, specifically an engineering society, focused on mechanical engineering....
.
He was a self-declared communist and had a keen interest in the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, in particular the Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
. Because of his fondness for the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
he was known to his family as "popski". Similarly, he owned a cat called Pushkin.
He retired in 1929 to devote himself to his writings. He continued to write articles for technical journals and newspapers. He was a frequent contributor to The Citizen
The Citizen (Gloucester)
The Citizen is a daily newspaper in Gloucester, England, that covers Gloucester, Stroud and the Forest of Dean.The paper was first published on 1 May 1876 and today it is part of the Northcliffe Media group. The current Editor is Ian Mean....
of Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
.
Children
He had two sons by his first marriage:- Francis Hugh Vowles (born RugbyRugby, WarwickshireRugby is a market town in Warwickshire, England, located on the River Avon. The town has a population of 61,988 making it the second largest town in the county...
18 September 1911 died Gloucester 2 May 1990) attended Cheltenham CollegeCheltenham CollegeCheltenham College is a co-educational independent school, located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.One of the public schools of the Victorian period, it was opened in July 1841. An Anglican foundation, it is known for its classical, military and sporting traditions.The 1893 book Great...
, obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of London External System in 1937, and trained as a lawyer under his uncle Henry Hayes Vowles (junior) of H.H.Vowles and Company, Gloucester. In 1943, Francis Vowles trained to become a Pilot OfficerPilot OfficerPilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
with the RAF at the 13th Initial Training Wing (C Flight, No. 3 Squadron) which was possibly based at the Toorak Hotel, TorquayTorquayTorquay is a town in the unitary authority area of Torbay and ceremonial county of Devon, England. It lies south of Exeter along the A380 on the north of Torbay, north-east of Plymouth and adjoins the neighbouring town of Paignton on the west of the bay. Torquay’s population of 63,998 during the...
. From 17-31 September 1943, he was at the 4 EFTS BroughBroughBrough may mean or refer to:-Products:*Brough Motorcycles, made in England from 1908 to 1926*Brough Superior, a brand of English motorcycles and automobiles were made from 1919 to 1940...
, YorkshireYorkshireYorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
. Between 31 September 1943 and 27 November 1943, he travelled to Canada. There he was taught trainee pilots to fly the de Havilland Tiger MothDe Havilland Tiger MothThe de Havilland DH 82 Tiger Moth is a 1930s biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and was operated by the Royal Air Force and others as a primary trainer. The Tiger Moth remained in service with the RAF until replaced by the de Havilland Chipmunk in 1952, when many of the surplus aircraft...
. He was based at the 35 EFTS at Neepawa from 27 September 1943 to 11 March 1944. From 11 March 1944 to 20 October 1944, he was based at the 17 Service Flying Training School, Souris, ManitobaSouris, ManitobaSouris is a town in the southwestern portion of the Canadian province of Manitoba, 2006 population 1,772, total including Glenwood Municipality is 2,412. It is located on the Souris River, from which it takes its name. The town is home to Canada's longest historic cable-stayed footbridge , known...
. In Souris, he flew Anson IIAvro AnsonThe Avro Anson is a British twin-engine, multi-role aircraft that served with the Royal Air Force, Fleet Air Arm and numerous other air forces prior to, during, and after the Second World War. Named for British Admiral George Anson, it was originally designed for maritime reconnaissance, but was...
planes. From 9 April 1945 to 8 August 1945, he was based at the No 1333 Transport Support Conversion Unit, Leicester East. Here he flew OxfordAirspeed OxfordThe Airspeed AS.10 Oxford was a twin-engine aircraft used for training British Commonwealth aircrews in navigation, radio-operating, bombing and gunnery during the Second World War.-Design and development:...
and DakotaDouglas DC-3The Douglas DC-3 is an American fixed-wing propeller-driven aircraft whose speed and range revolutionized air transport in the 1930s and 1940s. Its lasting impact on the airline industry and World War II makes it one of the most significant transport aircraft ever made...
planes and undertook "radar flights".
Francis Vowles went on to become a partner in Vowles, Jessop and Keen of Lorraine House, 45 Park Road, Gloucester, the house in which his Pearce grandparents had lived. He was Clerk to County Justices (Gloucester division). FH Vowles married Elizabeth Langhorne
Harold Stephen Langhorne
Harold Stephen Langhorne was a Brigadier-General in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps of the British army and served in India, Burma, Hong Kong, South Africa and France.- Early life :He was the son of Reverend John Langhorne, headmaster of King's School, Rochester and Henrietta Long of...
BA (1911-1999) and was a member of the Royal Air Force Association (Gloucester branch). As well as a full time solicitor, he was also honorary legal adviser to the Gloucester Association of parish and town councils from 1936 to 1976.
- Christopher David Vowles (born Gloucester March 1916) completed articles in Gloucester. He visited the Soviet Union in 1936 and as result joined the Communist Party of Great BritainCommunist Party of Great BritainThe Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
, remaining a member until its dissolution. He qualified as a solicitor in 1940 but during the second world war worked as a mechanical engineer for Dowty-Rotol, Gloucester, on aircraft production and becoming the works union convenor. After the war, he became sub-editor the Daily WorkerDaily WorkerThe Daily Worker was a newspaper published in New York City by the Communist Party USA, a formerly Comintern-affiliated organization. Publication began in 1924. While it generally reflected the prevailing views of the party, some attempts were made to make it appear that the paper reflected a...
. In 1947, be went into private practice with the legal firm Garber Vowles and company, London, later known as Gaster, Vowles, Turner and Loeffler. The firm was retained by a number of trade unions and advised the governments of CzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakiaCzechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
and PolandPolandPoland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. His obituary was published in the Morning Star on 28 September 1993. He was a director of Priday, Metford and Company LimitedPriday, Metford and Company LimitedPriday, Metford and Company Limited was a family-run company that produced flour at the City Flour Mills, Gloucester, England for over a century. They were closed down in 1994 and the premises converted to luxury apartments under the name of "Priday's Mill". The City Flour Mills were the location...
and owned a cottage in Southcot, PewseyPewseyPewsey is a large village, often considered a small town, at the centre of the Vale of Pewsey in Wiltshire about west of London. It is well connected to London, the West Country and Wales being close to the M4 motorway and the A303. Also, the village is served by Pewsey railway station on the...
.
In 1935, HP Vowles met Eleanor Biss, who became his second wife. They had no children. She later lived in Stonehouse in a cottage named "Elscot".
Political ideas
He recognised that there would be increased competition for resources and markets as productivity rose and that this would impact upon people's lives both by taking resources away from good causes, such as health and the advancement of science and by the effects of war:In "post-war conditions of politics and trade... trade ... must find a vent in export for the huge increase of capacity in the productive
machinery of this and other countries, leading to fiercer and fiercer competition for foreign markets and for 'control' of the raw material producing regions - particularly coal and oil areas - and so to another
large scale war beside which the last will pale into insignificance, a war possibly with America, as part of the price I have to pay for the goods I buy under the present system. Many other items I have also entered up which do not commonly figure in a manufacturer's cost accounts, although they must inevitably be paid for all the same-neglect of science, neglect of health, neglect indeed of all that might to-day make life fair and gracious, simply because industry is run from the point of view of 'frenzied finance' and not for the
service of mankind. . . . ." The Price We Pay
He felt that in the 1920s political change was around the corner, in particular to the left: "Nevertheless, in spite of all my doubts there are times when I am upon the whole more hopeful of the world ridding itself of its innumerable burdens; when I see signs of more and yet more fires being kindled in the minds of men; smouldering as yet, but soon it may be to blaze up and spread the knowledge that
a time of great change is at hand."
He recognised the danger posed by Hitler to Eastern Europe at the end of the 1930s. In "Ukraine and its People" (1939), he wrote "There is good reason to believe that Herr Hitler proposes to make use of (Ukrainian minority movements) to serve his own ambitions. The nature of these ambitions, which include the annexation of Soviet Ukraine, is indicated in Mein Kampf
Mein Kampf
Mein Kampf is a book written by Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. It combines elements of autobiography with an exposition of Hitler's political ideology. Volume 1 of Mein Kampf was published in 1925 and Volume 2 in 1926...
".
It is interesting that whilst being a Communist, Hugh Vowles' first wife was a shareholder in her family's milling company in Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, England. The company, Priday, Metford and Company Limited
Priday, Metford and Company Limited
Priday, Metford and Company Limited was a family-run company that produced flour at the City Flour Mills, Gloucester, England for over a century. They were closed down in 1994 and the premises converted to luxury apartments under the name of "Priday's Mill". The City Flour Mills were the location...
, was, however, family-owned for five generations and renowned for retaining many staff members for over fifty years.
In a brief account of his life left in about 1990 by his daughter in law Elizabeth Langhorne, she states: "HPV was an engineer, socialist and journalist. He also moved to Gloucester and worked as a left wing journalist trying to promote peaceful relations with the Soviet Union. Conservatives still run when they see a Vowles in their territory".
Religious ideas
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
was popular amongst western intellectuals.
He discussed Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
in the context of socialism in his article entitled "Tradition in the Great State" in the book Socialism and the Great State edited by H.G. Wells and published in 1912. This book outlined how a state run along ideal socialist lines would be like. He stated the following: "Many of the needs of men are long-lived, and it is an open question whether most if not all of our present-day traditions will not go on to a fuller and completer influence in the lives of the citizens of the Great State. That large body of tradition we speak of as Christianity, for example, may conceivably serve as the basis of the moral tradition in the Great State. This matter is, I believe, to be discussed more fully in another paper in this book, but the present writer now ventures to offer a few remarks that seem to fall within his scope. In many ways he admits Christian tradition has been a beneficial factor in our evolution. Its teaching of love and concord is of the very essence of the Great State. Whatever broadens the basis of sympathy and mutual understanding is a force operating in the constructive direction, and so it would seem probable that Christianity will at least survive in its spirit and intermingle with the more elaborate traditions of the future. In no case can a tradition disappear without leaving behind it some effect or influence. But this is far from asserting that there need be or will be a definite survival of Christianity as such. Contemporary Christianity must purge itself from a multitude of defects before it can possibly be acceptable to the clear-headed men who will be the normal citizens of the Great State. A mere spirit of co-operation alone can never be all sufficing for the religious basis of tradition. The Great State will be complex beyond all precedent and that he may cope successfully with these complexities the average citizen must be trained to think clearly and exhaustively, and be given a wealth of tradition for his guidance multifarious beyond any the world has yet produced. Christianity as we know it at present makes no insistence upon understanding and mental alertness as duties, nor upon the supreme necessity of thoroughness in thought and work. It is not a critical religion; it is emotionally sound, perhaps, but critically careless, and the vital preservative of right in a complex situation is a critical faculty highly stimulated and fed." It is not known if his perspective on religion changed later in his life.
Collaboration with others
Vowles collaborated with H.G. Wells and Professor Sir E.Ray LankesterRay Lankester
Sir E. Ray Lankester KCB, FRS was a British zoologist, born in London.An invertebrate zoologist and evolutionary biologist, he held chairs at University College London and Oxford University. He was the third Director of the Natural History Museum, and was awarded the Copley Medal of the Royal...
.
He was a close friend of Hubert Cecil Booth
Hubert Cecil Booth
Hubert Cecil Booth was a British engineer who invented the first powered vacuum cleaner.He also designed Ferris wheels, suspension bridges and factories. Later he became Chairman and Managing Director of the British Vacuum Cleaner and Engineering Co.-Early life:Booth was born in Gloucester, England...
, inventor of the vacuum cleaner
Vacuum cleaner
A vacuum cleaner, commonly referred to as a "vacuum," is a device that uses an air pump to create a partial vacuum to suck up dust and dirt, usually from floors, and optionally from other surfaces as well. The dirt is collected by either a dustbag or a cyclone for later disposal...
. Booth married Margaret Vowles' sister.
Publications (Books)
- Under new management: a book for business men and others (published in 1922 by Allen & Unwin, London)
- The Web of Finance (published by John Bellows of Gloucester in 1926)
- The Quest for PowerThe Quest for PowerThe Quest for Power is book on the history of engineering written by Hugh Pembroke Vowles and Margaret Winifred Vowles. It was published in 1931 by Chapman and Hall of London, England.-Content:...
(Chapman and Hall, London, 1931 book published with Margaret W Vowles, his first wife) - Ukraine and its People (W. and R Chambers, London, 1939)
- James Watt and the Industrial Revolution (published in 1943, new edition 1948 and reprinted in 1949. Also published in SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and PortuguesePortuguese languagePortuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
(1944) by the British CouncilBritish CouncilThe British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
)
Publications (scholarly articles)
- The Tradition of the Great State. Chapter in "Socialism and the Great State, Essays in Construction", by H.G. Wells et al., Harper and Brothers Publishers, New York (1912).
- The Price We Pay. The New Age: A Socialist Review of Religion, Science, and Art. No. 1503 Edition Vol 29, No.9 (1921)
- Essence of The Matter The New Age: A Socialist Review of Religion, Science, and Art. No. 1521 Vol 30, No 1 (1921)
- A Reply to Mr Lethaby. The Hibbert Journal: A Quarterly Review of Religion, Theology, and Philosophy (Jan. 1929)
- Engineer as Ruler (1930)
- Joseph's Well. Correspondence published in Mechanical Engineering (Monthly Journal of the American Society of Mechanical EngineersAmerican Society of Mechanical EngineersThe American Society of Mechanical Engineers is a professional body, specifically an engineering society, focused on mechanical engineering....
), February 1930, page 163. Includes details of Le Demour's 1732 pump. - Ancient Windmills, letter to NatureNature (journal)Nature, first published on 4 November 1869, is ranked the world's most cited interdisciplinary scientific journal by the Science Edition of the 2010 Journal Citation Reports...
, February 22 1932, page 317 - Early Evolution of Power Engineering Isis, Vol. 17, No. 2 (1932), pp. 412–420
- Science and Industrial Insanity. Article published with Margaret Vowles. July 1932.
- Electrification in the U.S.S.R. in Science & Technology in the Soviet Union. Articles based on papers read at the Symposium at Easter, 1942, held under the auspices of The Faculty of Science of Marx House, 1, Doughty Street, London.
- British Association for the Advancement of ScienceBritish Association for the Advancement of Scienceframe|right|"The BA" logoThe British Association for the Advancement of Science or the British Science Association, formerly known as the BA, is a learned society with the object of promoting science, directing general attention to scientific matters, and facilitating interaction between...
, Report. Vol. II, No. 5. Science and World Order. Transactions of a Conference of the Division for the Social and International Relations of Science. British Association. 5s. net. On page 52 Vowles, speaking of the advance of mechanical science in Russia, said: "Most large Soviet cities have their pipe networks conveying hot water or steam to domestic, municipal and industrial consumers."http://www.emeraldinsight.com/Insight/viewPDF.jsp?contentType=Article&Filename=html/Output/Published/EmeraldFullTextArticle/Pdf/0720440901.pdf
Publications (Children's stories)
- "Freaks of the Road" Boys' Own Paper, July 1932. A story.
Publications (newspaper articles)
Vowles published regularly in the South Wales News in the 1920s and 1930s.- The Crook is beating the Scientist. The Daily Mail, Wednesday, April 27, 1932.
- Article about Hubert Cecil BoothHubert Cecil BoothHubert Cecil Booth was a British engineer who invented the first powered vacuum cleaner.He also designed Ferris wheels, suspension bridges and factories. Later he became Chairman and Managing Director of the British Vacuum Cleaner and Engineering Co.-Early life:Booth was born in Gloucester, England...
, published c1951 in the Gloucester citizen under the title "an interested reader"